Coal-chute gate



TITUS I COAL CHUTE GATE 2 Sheets-s 1 original Filed March 12" 9 l ATTORNEY.

May 24, 1927 Re. 16,633

E. A. TITUS CDAL' CHUTE GATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 inal Filed March 12. 1925 V'EN TOR.

QWVMLMW M ATTORNEY.

PATENT OFFICE.

TELS

. UNITED: STA

EDWIN A. was, OF-MOLINE, ILLINOIS.

con-cairn: GATE.

Original No. 1,583,081, dated May 4, 1926, Serial No. 14,910,'filed March 12, 1925.

' reissue filed March l5, 1927. Serial No. 173,208.

My invention has reference to coal chute gates, and is designed for use in connection with coaling stations,.la'rge coal bins, and other structures fitted for the storage and discharge of large quantities of coal. It is not confined to such use, however, but can be employed in connection with the storage bins for gravel, sand, and other material.

In the discharge of coal from storage bins, by permitting the same to empty through a chute by force of gravity there r is a tendency of the finer material to find its way toward the bottom of the stream, while the coarser portion thereof remains at the top. In some structures of the kind mentioned a barrier to the movement of the coal is provided by means of a gate extending upwardly through the bottom' of the chute, and which is withdrawn downwardly when it is desired to permit a movement of the fuel. The tendency in this arrangement is for the gate to hold back the finer material and dust in the lower part of the stream, while the upper strata, formed of the coarser material, runs out. In another form a gate is lowered into the chute from above, and

upon the same being raised to permit a movement of thecoal the lower strata is permitted to move freely, letting out a quantity of the finer and less desirable material. Possibly in the next succeeding operation there will be discharged a pocket of the heavier coal. As a result the run of the coal is not uniform, which is. objectionable,

' especially in the operation of locomotives,

wherein one engineer may secure a quantity of coal of a deslred quality, while the one succeeding him may get a supply of the finer sti1fi,v ith a consequent falling'oif in the eflici'ency of the en ine. In some cases the coal stored in the, ms would be of a uni- 1 form character throughout; so that the'above conditions would not apply.

One of the purposes of the present invention to provide a barrier for the coal,

- which, upon being opened, will permit a discharge of fuel of uniform run and quality, sothat therewill be no perceptible variations in the successive discharges. This is accomplished by means of a pair of gates operating transversely'of the chute, and capable of opening so as to form no obstruc-' tion to the movement of the coal. In con- 'nection therewith provided a simple and 11, secured to the face of the wall 1. ner-plates 12 strengthen the connection of .union of the lower ends rear faces of the plates 15.

Application for efficient means for opening and closing the gates.

-The above-named and other features and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in.which,"

Figure 1 is a fragmentary. section of a structure equipped with the invention.

Figure 2 is a detail of the shaft 24 and supports therefor, partly in section on the broken line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the discharge end-of the chute, partly in section on the broken line 33 of Figurel.

The reference number 1 indicates the outer wall of a coal storage building, 2 one of the supporting columns thereof, and 3 the inclined floor of a discharge opening 4. the

upperend of which opens into one of the at the sides thereof, and uprights 9, also of angle-plate formation. The upper ends of the uprights 9 are braced by pieces 10, the upperends of which are attached to fixtures Corthe upper ends of said uprights with the pieces 10, and similar plates 13 assist in the of said uprights and the plates 8. r 7

On the inside of the uprights 9 are posts 14, with which a pair of arcuate Plates 15 has a pivotal connection, by means of arms 16 extending from the upper cornersof said plates to said pivots. At their .inner ends said arms are attached to angle-plates 18, secured to the Said plates are slidable on the floor of the chute, and comprise a pairof gates forming a barrier when closed, as shown in complete lines in Figure 3, to thedownward movement of the coal.

Fixed to the inner sides of thearms 16 are plates 19, further braced near their lower edges by angle-plates 20. A slight space is left between the lower edges of said plates and the floor of the chute, so as to prevent friction between said parts.

Fixed to the outer corners of the gates 15 are arms 21,

means of which the shaft can be operated,

the downward movement thereof serving to rock the arm 23 rearwardly, as shown in broken lines, such movement drawing the bars 22 in the same direction, and operating the arms 21 to swing the gates 15 outwardly, leaving the way open for the downward passage of the contents of the bin. The gates and supporting parts pass outwardly through openings in the side of the chute, and when such gates are fully open the plates 19 fill such openings, and form the sidewalls of the chute.- 7

Fixed to the end'of the lever 26 is a rope 27, which passes upwardly over a pulley 28, supported from anarm 29 fixed in the walll, and thence downwardly to a connection with a rod 30 which supports a number of weights 31, forming a counter-weight wardly, the other end" thereof being cong nected with the lower end of the rod 30. By means of the outer part of said rope the lever 26 can be pulled downwardly to open the gates 15, and the inner end thereof can be employed for pulling downwardly on the weights 31 and inner end of the rope 27 to assist in raising the lever and closing the gates under unusual conditions, as when the parts are coated with snow or ice; I

It will be noted that the movement of the bars 22 is in a longitudinal direction, and the arrangement of such bars and the arms or levers to which they are attached is such as to produce in effect a modified togglejoint mechanism. The arrangement of said parts,together with the relative lengths of the arm 23' and lever 26, results in the application of power to the gates, to open or close the same, in a greatly multiplied degree, so that the device can be actuated with the expenditure of a comparatively small amount of force on the lever 26.

It willbe realized-from the foregoing description that I provide a gate, particularly adapted for use in the discharge chute of a storage bin, inwhich two opposed gate members are employed which penetrate the chute passage from the sides, as contrasted to the generally vertically actuated gates of the prior art. This disposition. of gates is of particular advantage,in railroad coalmg, :in insuring the delivery of a uniform grade or mixture of coal for locomotives. Although I do not wish to be limited to the specific structure herein shown, I find it advantageous to pivot arcuate gates at opposite sides of the chute. In the form here in shown the convex sides of the arcuate gates face theoncoming stream of coal, the pivots being to the rear of the gates, as clearly shown in Figure, 3.

I do not wish to be limited to the specific description and disclosure herein found, but wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than as limiting Inc to the particular mechanical expedients herein disclosed. In particular, it will be realized that the side passage members or plates which form the side walls of the chute when the gates are open are elective and under some circun'istances can be dispensed with. In particular it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to any specific design ofgate or gate supporting frame or any specific means for actuating the gates. My invention consists broadly in the innovation of employing a side out gate, or, in the form herein shown, a pair of, opposed side out gates, which normally prevent the flow of coal along the chute, but which may easily be withdrawn, laterally, to permit a flow of coal when desired, here in the claims I describe the chute ashorizontal I wish it to be understood as differentiating the chute employed from a vertical chute through which material drops. without being sup. ported upon a chute bottom. By horizontal chute I mean a chute having amaterial supporting bottom, which bottom may be literally horizontal or may be inclined as shown in the accompanying drawings. \Vhereas I have described my invention in connection with a coaling plant it will be realized that I may employ it for other purposes and for other materials. I claim: 1 c

1. In combination with the discharge chute of a coal storage bin, apair of frames pivoted at the sidesof the chute and projected. rearwardly therein, gates fixed tosai'd frames so as to normally close the passage-way in said chute, and capable of transverse movement to or from each other, plates carried by said frames, at approximately a, right angle with said gates, and forming the side walls ofthe chute when the gates are fully open, and means for actuating said gates to openor close the same. p

2. In combination with the discharge chute of a coal storagebin, a pair of pivots at the sides of the chute, at right angles with the floor thereof, arcuate gates connected at their inner corners with said pivots, so as to be capable of movement transversely of the chute, levers fixed to the outer corners of above said gates, a pair of draw-bars con-. 'nected with the ends of said levers and operatively connected with said rock-shafh to impart the movement of said shaft to said gates, to open or close the same, as desired, and a lever attached to said rock-shaft, for the operation thereof.

3. In combination with" the discharge ally mounted ins-aid chute, so as to be movable transversely thereof, lever devices connectediwith said gates, so as to permit the application of power thereto at approximate- 1y a centerline of the chute, a rock-shaft supported above said gates and provided with a power-transmitting arm, bars connecting said arm with said lever devices, so that said bars will have lOIlgltt'lCllnilllIlOVfi ment, a lever connected with said rock-shaft,

so as to project at right angles with the chute, upwardly and outwardly, a counterweight connected with the outer. end of saidlever, to assistin returningsaid gates .to a

closed position after having been openedand a rope connected with theouter end of said lever, extending downwardly and rearwardly to a connection'with'said counterweight, to assist in the operation thereof.

4. In combination with the discharge chute of a storage bin, apair ofpivots at the sides of said chute, frames formed of cross-pieces rigidly attached to each other, the end of one of each cross-piece being connected with said pivots, a pair of arcuate' plates attached to the ends of said crossframes, the pivoted cross-pieces being connectedwlththe inner corners of said plates,

and the other cross-pieces being attached to the outer corners of said plates, and converging towards each other to points near the center line of the chute, an actuating arm mounted above said plates, and draw-bars connecting the ends of said. last-named crosspieces with said actuating arm, to impart the movement thereof to said plates with an increase of power. i

5. In combination with a horizontal discharge chute, a pair of gates pivoted at 0pvposite sides of said chute for rotation about axes generally perpendicular to the botton'r of the chute and capable of transverse movement to or from each other, and means'for' actuating said gates.

6. In combination with a horizontal discharge chute, a pair of gates pivoted at opposite sides of said chute for rotation about axes generally perpendicular to the bottom of the chute and capable of transverse movement to or from each other, and means for actuating said gates, the pivots of said gates being positioned to the rear of said gates in relation to thedownwardly moving material. 1

- 7. Incombination with a horizontal dis- 'charge chute, a pair of gates pivoted at opchut-e of a storage bin, a pair of gates p1vot-" posite sides of said chute for rotation about axes generally perpendicular to the bottom of the chute and capable of transverse movement to or from each other, and means for actuating said gates, and plates, associated with said gates and adapted to form side wallsof the chute when the gates are'opened.

8. In combination with a horizontal discharge chute, a transversely movable gate pivoted at one side of the chute for rotation about an axis enerally perpendicular to the chute bottom, and means for moving it transversely into and out of said chute along a generally horizontal path.

9. In combination with a horizontal dis charge chute, a gate member normally positioned'in the line of, movement-of the material passing along said chute and means for moving it out of and .into alignment with the chute along a. generally horizontal path, said gate being generally perpendicular to the bottom of the chute.

10. In combination with the discharge chute of a storage bin, a pair of arcuate gates having a pivotal connection at the sides of said chute so as to be movable transopen, and means for actuating said gates.

Signed at Moline, county of Rock Island,

andState of Illinois, this 10th day of February, 1927.

f EDWIN A. TITUS.

the discharge versely of the chute, said pivots being ge'nerally perpendicular to the material sup- 

